God Is Not a Babysitter

Believing in God after the Holocaust.

I grew up watching interviews with my Oma on national TV. She may not have been as big as Elie Wiesel, but to me she was larger than life. She was an author and was featured in an Emmy award-winning documentary. She was the most famous person I knew. And she was my Oma.

"Do you still believe in God after the Holocaust?" My Oma’s answer was engraved in my heart.

Every lecture, every interview, every question and answer period included one question. I knew my Oma's answer well; it had been engraved in my mind and in my heart:

"Do you still believe in God after the Holocaust?"

For many the question seemed too controversial, too painful. For Oma, it was simple. I would mouth the words with her: "God is not a babysitter."

In my mind, the unasked questions of her listeners screamed for answers. "But where was God when Adolf Hitler (may his name be erased) put in motion the final solution?" "And where was God when your mother and father were taken to the gas chamber?" "And where was God when your brother was brutally shot on a death march just days before liberation?"

But the answer was there too, implanted by my Oma. "God was watching and crying. He was crying for all of his children. The ones that had done wrong and the ones that had been wronged. God runs the world, but He granted His children free will. It is up to them to decide what they choose to do with it. A babysitter is a placeholder for a parent. Their job is to make sure the child remains exactly as they were when the parents left. There's no room for growth because anything remotely dangerous must be stopped before it even begins. Should God have struck each Nazi down with lightning? No, because God is not a babysitter."

As her startled audience recovered from her answer, Oma would continue. "It was not God Who hurt me. People did these things to me. I saw many miracles. Let me read to you from my book..." I would smile as my Oma rifled through the pages of her dog-eared copy of One Who Came Back. I knew most of the book by heart and I knew what story was coming next.

"Another day when four of us were digging stones out of a narrow ditch with our bare hands, my patience was tested again. The stones had to be loaded into a cart, which was pulled by a horse. The German laborer who came with the horse took an instant dislike to me. He harassed and pestered me all day. I paid as little attention to him as possible, which seemed to provoke him even more. Finally he ordered the horse, which was standing above me, to kick me, knock me down and finish me off. I couldn't move, so I started to talk to the horse in a very low voice. I told the horse, in Dutch of course, that he was a nice animal, and I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I just kept talking and talking. Whatever threat the German made, the horse stubbornly stood his ground."

Oma raised her eyes and lowered her reading glasses. "Why would a horse listen to me speaking in a foreign language instead of its owner and master? I saw many miracles like this. God looks out for us. He allows both good and bad to happen. God is not a babysitter."

Visiting Treblinka

From the first time I learned about the program, I wanted to attend the March of the Living. My Oma's experiences were a part of me. I needed to understand, at least in part, what she went through. I don't know what I expected from the trip, but through Majdanek, Auschwitz and Birkenau I clutched my Oma's book hoping to gain strength by osmosis from her words. Even the religious members of our group cried out in pain, "How could God have let this happen?" My whispered mantra protected me from these thoughts. I knew that God was not a babysitter.

On one of our last days in Poland we visited Treblinka. The Nazis had destroyed the entire camp before the area was liberated. By the time the Allied forces had arrived, a farm surrounded by trees had been built on top of the square of land that had once held the gas chambers. The farm is no longer there and monuments demarcate the location of the train tracks, fence and buildings. Locals enjoy the "park." A family was having a barbeque when we arrived. From a distance, the smoke appeared to float and curl out of the crematorium monument.

Wildlife was everywhere. The sweet sound of birds chirping mingled with the fresh air and woodsy smell that tickled our noses. Butterflies flitted through the trees in search of nectar. "The butterflies are the souls of the children we lost here," my counselor said. I smiled as I thought of the poem I Never Saw Another Butterfly. As we prepared to enter the forest, a butterfly landed on my counselor’s cheek.

I laughed at her startled reaction. "And that one kissed you," I whispered.

I was completely empty. I had lost all faith, not in God – but in man.

I stopped at the kiosk in the parking lot and picked up an Explanation Guidebook. As we entered I read the statistics "874,000 Jews were murdered in Treblinka and there were virtually no survivors." My mind reeled at the staggering numbers. Almost a million Jews and nothing to show for it? We reached the line of boulders that symbolized the fence and I stopped.

Paralyzed by the beauty that masked the horrors seeped into the soil, I fell to the ground. I curled up beside the nearest stone. I was completely empty. I had lost all faith, not in God – but in man.

How could they do this to us? How could this happen in a seemingly civilized world? How do 'innocent bystanders' watch the systematic murder of almost 900,000 people in cold blood and do or say nothing? Where was man when this happened? Where am I when others suffer?

My mind raced through the questions unable to come up with an answer. My Oma had given me one more legacy and I grabbed hold of it now when my mantra failed. I pulled out a pen and a paper and I began to write. I blended in with the scenery as I sat completely still with nothing but my pen moving as it scratched across the paper. My heart bled onto the paper like an open wound. Would I ever overcome these feelings of despair?

My pen paused as my numbed mind began to feel completely spent. I glanced up and away from the paper. I was startled by the delicate form of a butterfly slowly opening and closing its wings on my knee. The words of my counselor came back to me "The butterflies are the souls of the children we lost here." Yes, this child we lost, but there were many more children welcomed into the world every day. Were my sister, my cousins and I not proof that the Nazis had failed?

A new feeling more overwhelming than the last attempted to burst out of my chest. As I watched the gentle movements of the butterfly, I felt only one thing: hope.

Why do bad things happen to good people? I can't answer. Since Moses asked God in the desert, we have been asking why. But the answers remain unfathomable. All I can do is remember that everything happens for a reason whether I understand it or not, and hope that the children of the future will learn from the lessons of the past.

Surviving

Following our week in Poland, we went to Israel. Everyone set their feelings aside for one week to celebrate. We could think about what we went through when we got home. One of my friends could not handle the roller coaster ride of emotions. She had a major breakdown a couple days after our arrival in Israel.

"How can you expect me to just turn off all these feelings?" she demanded the counselor that had come to try to get her to participate in the activities. "After all we saw and experienced we should just turn around and be frivolous and carefree?"

His response had a profound affect on me although it left my friend unmoved.

"Did the survivors survive so that we could drown in sorrow or so that we could live?"

Surviving meant coming to terms with your experience and building a life.

All my negative thoughts of the inconsistencies between the two legs of the trip vanished. I thought of the pictures of my Oma from after the war when she had returned to Holland to discover she was the only one that remained. She was smiling in all of them.

Was it easy for her to return? I'm sure it was not. Even after the war, there were difficulties to overcome. But being a survivor meant more than having a beating heart when the allies came to liberate you. It meant coming to terms with your experience and building a life.

I no longer count the six million Jews that we lost in the Holocaust; I count my six million Jewish neighbors living in Israel. I no longer dwell on what was in Europe; I live what is today in Israel. My husband and I, both grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, are commemorating the lost lives of the past by building our lives and the lives of the future, our children. I only pray I can instill in them the same faith my Oma instilled in me.

Visitor Comments: 50

Why do prayers refer to Gd saving us? Why ask Gd to save us? Why believe there is a Gd at all, or One Who cares, or One Who has any power at all?

(47)
Anonymous,
March 10, 2011 12:48 AM

Bill S. is right....

G-d used, but did not cause, the holocaust to bring about a good thing: to bring the Jews back to Israel. I believe it is prophesized in Psalm 102.

(46)
Bill Sundling,
March 6, 2011 3:42 AM

G-d used the Holocaust to bring the Jews back to Israel

It would appear that G-d used the Holocaust to bring the Jews back to Israel. Given all the turmoil in the middle east I have to wonder if the prophesy in Ezekiel 38 and 39 will be fulfilled in the next few years.

(45)
Tina L,
March 5, 2011 7:11 PM

this is what I heard :

In a class I listened to in torahanytime.com the Rabbi said- we have SO many warnings repeating and repeating warning us what would happen if we don't keep the Torah and mitzvos- unfortunately SO many Jews were not keeping Torah and mitzvos and many who did did not tell off the ones who went off the derech.
It is the most horrific thing to have happened - it is so sad to know that it could have been prevented by keeping our word to follow in G-D's ways ...
May we all merit to see the Messiah soon!

(44)
Sue Manson,
March 5, 2011 5:54 PM

what a wonderful testimony to hope

God shows us here that no matter what terrible things that are done, He is able to bring restoration and hope. In time all things work out for good to those who love Him. He also cares for and loves and helps those who don't know Him. In the future, Heaven, there will be no wrongs, God will recompense all suffering. He will right all wrongs. They will seem small in the perspective of eternity.

(43)
J LaLone,
March 3, 2011 5:43 PM

Not a Babysitter, But Like a Parent

I may be uspet about the traumas I experienced, but I do not blame God. I feel sure of God's presence and love, which helps me endure, sometimes thrive. It was people who harmed me through their own volition, and I could not or knew not how to protect myself. I have always been saddened when it was family inflicting harm, and anger toward those who were not family, but should have known better and should have had compassion. As a parent, like God, I could not always protect my children, and that inability increased as they passed into adulthood. I do think that God, like me, as a parent, would always weep to see our children terribly hurt by people acting out of evilness.

(42)
Miraim,
March 3, 2011 4:25 PM

But He is G-d!

Yes, man has free will but everything comes from G-d. If G-d didn't want the Nazis to kill the Jews He would have struck them down, made them paralyzed, killed Hitler...It did come from G-d but we don't know the whole story of why it is for the best. As the saying goes, if you could understand G-d, you would be G-d.

(41)
suzi,
March 3, 2011 3:37 AM

Bad things happen because G-D gave man free will

This was a beautiful explanation, the only one I have ever heard or read about believing in G-D after the Holocaust. Thank you. It is a bit easier to think about now, I will try and remember "G-D is not a babysitter."

(40)
Anonymous,
March 3, 2011 3:36 AM

Evidence is in the unbroken chain of transmission

Bob, you are very mistaken. We have an unbroken chain of transmission from father to son, beginning with Adam all the way down to today. Is it conceivable that a father would lie to his son about what he himself experienced? Can you imagine that all of the fathers who left Egypt and were personal witnesses to what transpired there would all tell the exact same lie to all of their children? Do you need any better evidence than that? They personally witnessed the events- these weren't events from a distant past that was merely hearsay. They were there! Why are you fighting the truth so hard? Why are you so defensive? It's time to open yourself up to learn the eternal truths of our religion from the masters who hold that knowledge, and the Rabbis at Aish Hatorah are a great place to start.

(39)
Shari,
March 3, 2011 12:36 AM

Mary Poppins?

This article is beautiful, and cannot be judged since it comes from a place of personal reflection and experience. However, I am sorry that Aish chose to represent such a serious piece, trivializing it with a photograph of Mary Poppins.

(38)
Bob Applebaum,
March 2, 2011 8:53 PM

Bob A May Seem Wrong - But Is Not

Sorry, Anonymous...I am correct on everything I posted earlier. The passage I qouted is accurate. God said, regarding Jews in enemy lands, that he would remember (does he forget?) his covenant with their ancestors who he brought out of Egypt. Why? FOR THEIR SAKE. In other words, with their (the Jews in enemy land's) interests in mind. Did that happen? No. My point on free will is correct. If you think you have to act, you will act. Your choice is based on what you think. But what you think is based on preceding events, not under your control. The act follows the thought. The thought derives from sensory input and cognition. Sensory input and cognition ability are products of the past, they produce what you think. In addition to what I posted earlier, there is no record of the Egyptian exodus by Egyptians or others who would have heard about it. In fact, if you didn't believe in God and he sent 10 plagues upon you...wouldn't you believe in God? Yet, the Egyptians didn't become believers in the Jewish God, even though the Torah said they would (see Exodus 7:5 & Numbers 14:14). I suggest you get yourself a teacher, like an archaeologist, historian, or neuroscientist and I would be interested in reading your comments afterwards.

(37)
Anonymous,
March 2, 2011 4:02 PM

#34 Bob A seems wrong again in all points but 1

The bible clearly states what will befall the Jews if they transgress God's commands. Remembering the covenant means the Jews will never be completely destroyed and will always remain God's chosen people for the mission of sanctifying his name on earth [spreading ethical monotheism].
You also have a false definition of free will. [see comment #20]"Every decision we make is a result of preceding events we have no control of" That is mostly correct as few people can filter their thought process and all have a yaitzer hara, however free will means that you DO NOT have to act based on that thought/initial decision. That is what differentiates humans from animals.[in God's image]
The point where we agree is "There is no evidence of roughly 1 million people trekking across the Sinai for 40 years. No burial sites, no utensils, no encampments, etc. "
Actually, I think our tradition states 2 million people but as you said no hard evidence exists. Until recently there was no hard evidence that the earth revolved around the sun, or that it's round not flat but today we know it to be true. 3500 years is long ago and while hard proof would be great check out aish.com for much soft evidence perceivable I believe to those with an open mind. I think it's reasonable to conclude that the slavery in Egypt,the exodus, and the revelation at Sinai were more probably a reality than a fiction. I suggest you get yourself a teacher[aish will provide one even free of charge if you wish] learn and would be interesting to read your comments afterwards.

(36)
Sonia,
March 2, 2011 11:47 AM

From a political standpt - could people have banded in a timely fashion to self defend ourselves?

And if not - or not enough - my queston is why not?
So many people speaking different languages - with the exception of Yiddish - wiped off the face of the earth. Baby sitting indeed - not! However, we who are here have a duty to be aware and conscious of events and consequences when we ignore them.

(35)
M Mos,
March 2, 2011 2:20 AM

remotely dangerous?

Your argument is that God allows freedom because, there would be no room for growth if anything "remotely dangerous" was stopped? That kind of reasoning applies to things like letting kids ride bikes. I think the Nazis were a little more than "remotely dangerous."

(34)
Bob Applebaum,
March 1, 2011 11:09 PM

Please Be Rational Not Emotional

There is no evidence of roughly 1 million people trekking across the Sinai for 40 years. No burial sites, no utensils, no encampments, etc. Note that due to the climate of the Sinai these types of things would be well-preserved. There is no evidence of baby bones in pyramid walls, these would be especially well preserved if they existed. There is no free will. Every decision we make is a result of preceding events we have no control of...whether it is the genes which guide the direction of building our neurons, the diets of our mothers and later what she feeds us which impacts our brain growth, or other environment factors. Your brain makes an unconscious decision before you are conscious of it as a result of these preceding events. Please see Levit 26:44-45: "And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD." Now if God is remembering the covernant of their ancestors FOR THEIR SAKES, it is clear that nothing like the Egyptian slavery would be allowed to happen again. Yet it did, but much worse. As a sidenote, you may also want to watch the play called "God On Trial" where Jewish concentration camp prisoners place God on trial for abstentia. It is fiction, but thoughtful.

TMay,
September 8, 2014 7:35 AM

I disagree w Bob A & his interpret of 'for their sakes' is an assumption by him

states that there was also a Comet Typhon, mentioned by Pliny. It is truly frightening. They had pharaohs by the name of Ahmose. From the Egyptian point of view, they thought of Moses as a pharaoh. http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/linguistics/science-tempest-stela-ahmose-worlds-oldest-weather-report-01826.html. I remember reading Egyptian history that recounted that there was a rebellion and one pharaoh went into the wilds and slaves joined him. There was a battle and he disappeared, end of the story from their perspective. On Youtube they have had videos, long detailed, short summary, on where the Jews most likely entered the water and crossed. There are markers, place names, corals which could have formed on the remains of the chariots, the right size wheels, metal hubs, spokes, axles, right angles, gold, human bones, remains of horses, and there were underwater photos. Simcha Jacobovici created a TV documentary "Exodus Decoded", tsunami effect. "Jacobovici suggests that the Exodus took place around 1500 BC, during the reign of pharaoh Ahmose I, and that it coincided with the Minoan eruption. In the documentary, the plagues that ravaged Egypt in the Bible are explained as having resulted from that eruption and a related limnic eruption in the Nile Delta, similar to what occurred in the 1980s at Lake Nyos in Cameroon. While much of Jacobovici's archaeological evidence for the Exodus comes from Egypt, some comes from Mycenae on mainland Greece, such as a gold ornament that somewhat resembles the Ark of the Covenant." (Wiki on "Exodus Decoded") The son of Ahmose died young. Some scientists attack his theory. There is a photo on Google Images of the mummy of Ahmose I. He is a clean shaven pharaoh, small, powerful. In Egyptian history everything centers around Egypt.

Everytime I read such an article I am astounded that anyone believes in God at all. For the life of me, I can not understand why. Most of their "rational" reasons is that they can not explain the "reason" or "why" of the world, so they are satisfied with a pat answer of "God". Not satisfying to me in the least.
And, if one IS to believe in God, why would anyone want to "thank" or "pray" to a deity that obviously has no bearing in their lives or in history? That man has 'free will" and caused all of the terrible things that have happened is also a foolish notion as well. Where was the "free will" of the Jews as they were pushed onto the trains or into the gas chambers? Or the free will of the people who were drowned in tsunamis or the earthquake in New Zealand?
Nope. There is no reason to believe in a God, certainly not a powerful one who could do anything for anyone, and certainly not one to be thanked for a job well done!
The fact that the author's grandmother and all others survived the Holocaust was pure luck and the war ended when it did. Nothing more.

(32)
Daniel W Krueger,
March 1, 2011 1:39 AM

Really?

@ (27) Anonymous, February 28, 2011 Very regrettable article.
When you can speak from the space of true experience of hell at the hands of Nazi's you can decide what a babysitter is or is not.
You will not share your name - you have no standing here.
I loudly proclaim all the names of my family members murdered by the SS. They did not need a babysitter either.

(31)
henry hakcholna,
March 1, 2011 1:08 AM

This is a true display of forgiveness and an understanding on the sovereignty of God. Truly no human intellect can be able to explain human tragedy esp on the righteous. It is only necessary that we rest our case on Him whose ways are higher than our ways. God bless you

(30)
Amdy,
February 28, 2011 9:30 PM

#22 Tamar I think you may be mistaken. Maybe re definitions

Tamar,
Yes God allowed the holocaust to happen but that's not the same as God wanting it to happen. I'm afraid that would be Hitler's line.{"I'm doing God's work"] As a result of poor choices or misuse of collective free will painful consequences seem to be a result to purify/correct, but to say God wanted it to happen seems obscene. Maybe it is a question of definitions. Yes, God could have prevented the holocaust and didn't so in that sense he wanted it to happen, but put that way it's like saying the husband wanted to divorce his unfaithful wife. He wanted the wife to be faithful. As a result of her unfaithfulness he was required to divorce her even if he did not want to. God keeps his Torah as well although that may be weak as the punishments listed in Torah for violating the commandements were different than the sadistic cruelties perpetrated by the Nazis. In fact the rabbis put God on trial in the camps and found him guilty. After the verdict they davened maariv. Gotta love such a people.Really

(29)
Anonymous,
February 28, 2011 4:35 PM

Nature of G-d

I believe that this is a very well written article (it kept me very interested), although I cannot picture the G-d of our forefathers as being passive regarding the fate of his children. We know that he interacted with the Jews in the camps (a good example of this would be your reference to a story about a horse), so this leaves me to believe otherwise about your presumptions about G-d (I am regarding the statements that he is not a baby sitter). Now as for how much he interacted: I believe G-d has his reasonings, which are so far beyond our understanding that there is simply no point in trying to understand him at all. He is creator, and we are what he made. If man is already having trouble a few thousand years into existence to understand that G-d even exists, how so can we in think for a second that we could even understand the way he thinks! In my opinion, the nature of G-d is so inconceivable to the human mind, that it cannot be portrayed as, or explained with such simple a line as "G-d is not a baby sitter", or even the entirety of this article (which again I enjoyed reading very much).

(28)
Anonymous,
February 28, 2011 3:58 PM

AM ISRAEL CHAI!!!

Thank you for a beautifyl story.
i am Noahide, i love Gd's chosen. There lives no other strong, courgeous people like the Jews.

(27)
Anonymous,
February 28, 2011 12:43 PM

Very regrettable article.

G-d is not a babysitter? This is beyond trivializing the very real pain of the Shoah. And it also trivializes the Master of the Universe for even suggesting such a bizarre idea. In my opinion a poorly written and poorly worded article.

(26)
Chavi,
February 28, 2011 12:44 AM

not a babysitter; a parent

G-d is not a babysitter; He is a parent. He is our Father Who loves us more than anyone else in the whole wide world. Nothing happens in this world unless He approves and allows it to happen. He supervises and orchestrates everything that happens in this world. Sometimes He allows very painful things to happen for our ultimate good. But we are like the baby who sees our parent hold us down so that the doctor can administer a very painful injection. We are incapable of understanding how so much pain could possibly be good for us. But our Father in Heaven, who loves us so very much, whose infinite understanding is so much greater than our finite understanding, and Who does what is truly best for us, always, even when we can't understand it, still does what He knows is in our best interests. This could include such things as personal growth that could not happen in any other way, atonement, issues related to previous lives and merit in the world to come. These are issues beyond our ken and our comprehension. We are not privy to the whole picture. We only get to see a very tiny piece of it, and that's not enough to make a real, authentic judgement about what G-d, in his overpowering love for us, chooses to hand us in this life. (His messengers of evil, on the other hand, do have free will. They can choose not to do the evil. G-d always has many different avenues to cause the end result. It does not have to be thru them.)

(25)
Anonymous,
February 28, 2011 12:20 AM

Bob, YOU can convince yourself of anything!

Bob Applebaum, where, exactly, is YOUR evidence? What do you know of the Egyptians' atrocities? Can you imagine live babies being cemented into walls because their fathers did not meet the production quota? Five hundred babies slaughtered every the morning so that Pharaoh could bathe in their blood, and another five hundred slaughtered in the evening so that Pharaoh could bathe in fresh blood? All newborn baby boys drowned? And when, exactly, did G-d promise that enslavement like in Egypt would never happen again? (He promised to never bring another flood, but never promised never to bring another enslavement! ) Your 'evidence' is nothing but figments of your imagination! There is plenty of evidence that the Exodus happened! It was transmitted from father to son 600,000 times over with no break in the link of transmission. 600,000 fathers did not lie to their sons, and their stories all matched. There is also plenty of evidence that free will exists. Did anyone force YOU to write such a pack of nonsense on this blog? You exercised your free will. Instead of fabricating 'facts' and 'evidence' to suit your world view, why don't you do your due diligence research, consult the rabbis, the masters in the field, and find out the real truth. The answers are all out there. Do you have the courage to drop your defensiveness, to be honest enough with yourself to go out and find them?

(24)
Richard Rosenthal,
February 28, 2011 12:18 AM

Thank you for th excellent article

Congratulations on writing such an excellent article. It is the positive and the future where we live. While we cannot forget the past we must live in the now and provide a for a solid future for the world. Jews have always contributed significantly to society in all areas that are meaningful. We owe it to those who went before to continue this tradition.

(23)
Anonymous,
February 27, 2011 11:43 PM

How can man do this? With the permission of bystanders

We hear the question, "How can such an atrocity happen?"
We hear what is almost a mantra, "Never again!"
But the truth is as the plethora of articles on bullying in the classroom and in the political arena clearly indicate, this can and unfortunately probably will happen again. Unless bystanders are taught not to stand by silently any longer.

(22)
Tamar,
February 27, 2011 11:29 PM

The answer given in this article about how the Holocaust was possible isWRONG and completely geso against the most fundamental principles of Judaism!!! Judaism maintains that G-d is in control of EVERYTHING and that he doesnt let man take over or do things that are against G-d's will!!! free will only plays a role in the choices man makes but NOT in whether he will succeed in whatever he choses to do!! The Holocaust happened because G-d wanted it to happen, and yes, that sounds horrible, but the proper reaction we should have to that is to realize that everything that He does is for the good, even though we don't understand that and we may never understand that until our death; It was not man's free will that enabled the Holocaust, it was G-d.!!!!

(21)
Emily,
February 27, 2011 10:52 PM

My heart is heavy

Everytime I read one of your stories, my heart gets as heavy as lead. I can' tovercome the saddness i feel for your people. I am so sorry that it was endured. I pray for your people and I pray for the inflicters whether they deserve it or not. I believe they do not, but I was taught to pray for those who hate you. It is easy for me to talk. I am not one of you, but I do what I believe my God wants of me. I can only say that my prayers are more for you.. God Bless all of you.

(20)
Andy,
February 27, 2011 10:38 PM

Mano fo #6 statements proves his premise correct. They indicate that one has the ability to convince himself that what is false is truth.

" most of the early chapters of the Torah are about the miracles performed to release the Jews as slaves."The early chapters of the Torah are all the book of Genesis. 2 chapters in Exodus are about the miracles performed to release the Israelites from slavery.
"In those early chapters, God promises to never let anything like the Egyptian enslavement, happen again." Where in the bible does God promise to never let anything like the slavery in Egypt happen again? In fact God warns the Jews of the curses that will come upon them should they forsake their mission of living as a holy people and not follow the commandments. Sadly it makes the slavery in Egypt pale in comparison to what could and did befall the Jews at times in their history. Read Josephus re the destruction of the second temple and of course the suffering of the holocaust. It seems to me it's all stated clearly as a consequence of the Jews collectively misusing their free will. Re free will:
"Also note that the evidence shows that free will does not exist." Only a mistaken definition of free will would validate that statement as truth. At a certain level all make free will choices constantly. A Nazi guard brainwashed to believe he was cleansing the world of vermin may not have it within his free will to save Jews ,but for sure he could choose not to inflict torture and humiliate his victims ? He could make a mother watch her child being killed or not?At the other end of the scale a holy sage can choose to utter a wasted word or not? He can think a profane thought or not? We all have free will it's just at what level it's being exercised.

(19)
Roel Salomons,
February 27, 2011 10:19 PM

Belief in goodness

What love inspiring story. There will always be good and bad and so will there always be free will. But it needs love to live with this.

(18)
sharona,
February 27, 2011 7:58 PM

Thanks for sharing this article. We don't know why things happen. Some things we just can't comprehend. I agree about free will, people have a choice to either do good or bad and there is an outcome for both. If people were prevented from doing bad or struck right away, we wouldn't have choice.
we might say now, take away choice, but trust me, you want a choice in your life. - While this herendous tragedy happened, there's also survival, because we are an eternal people.
The best way to honor their memory and legacy is to continue and stay strong in our heritage. Keep learning our tradition and personally growing, and give them joy as they look down from above.

(17)
Pessy,
February 27, 2011 7:40 PM

Words from the heart touched the heart

I just got the chills. Thank you for that heart rendering and stirring article and wise perspective.

(16)
Odelia,
February 27, 2011 6:56 PM

Thank you for this wise, uplifting article.

This article is very well written and has touched me deeply, and resonates well with me. Yes, "God is not a babysitter". That is an excellent line! Hashem gives us free will, and guidance through his Torah and commandments and through hashgacha pratit and his great love and encouragement of our good deeds. But God is a teacher. He expects us to learn the correct ways to live in this world, and abide by them. He is infinitely merciful and patient, but He who created parents and educators, is the Ultimate parent and educator. Does not King David, say over and over, in so many ways - "Teach me your ways, Oh God, Teach me the correct pathways in life". As for the Holocaust...I too am a grandchild of survivors - and I find that while a jew can ask "why" (King David "My God, my god, why did you leave me"), I personally find more peace in not asking why too often...and also in realizing that we, His creations, can never ever really understand the ways of our all knowing Creator. When this universal question of "Why?" gets me down, I repeat to myself, what I know deep inside. "Hashem Tsaddik" "G-d is Righteous, very, very Righteous".

(15)
Daniel,
February 27, 2011 6:52 PM

Agree with author

I agree with the author that man has moral free will. Otherwise, we would all be puppets. Some argue how could God allow The Holocaust? True, but what about the millions that died in other
communist regimes? Again, it was man that sadly made
the choice of evil.

(14)
Susie Davidson,
February 27, 2011 6:09 PM

Excellent article - the late Sonia Weitz z"l used to say "it's not where was G-d; it's where was man?

As someone who has written extensively about Boston-area Holocaust survivors and even made a film about them, this article really moved me. I shared it on my Facebook. I know Holocaust survivors who even go to synagogue every week and say they have no belief. People have to understand that we have free will and humanity has personal choice and responsibility, terrible though it may be at times in history. Therefore every one of us is so important as we each try to live well and set a good example.

(13)
Toby Katz,
February 27, 2011 6:07 PM

Torah-true Jews are pro-life

to Gene Z:
Unfortunately the majority of Jews in America are totally secular and know nothing of their own glorious, holy heritage. But among those who do know and keep the Torah, the pro-life percentage is over 90% and even the few Orthodox Jews who vote liberal do so because of a misguided fear that the government might some day forbid a doctor to save the life of a mother (to which the Torah, unlike the Catholic Church, gives priority over the life of the unborn baby).
It is a great and unfathomable tragedy that, decades after the Holocaust, we have still not recovered our numbers -- and that is largely because secular Jews have so few babies. A Jewish woman who could have brought another Jew into the world but instead destroyed her own baby has done something that should inspire horror and grief in all Jewish hearts.

(12)
Gabriela E. Litov,
February 27, 2011 5:41 PM

very moving

I'd like to read "One Who Came Back." What is the author's grandmother's name? Is the book still in print/available on Kindle?

(11)
,
February 27, 2011 5:29 PM

You WILL find Torah-true Jews defending the unborn

To Gene Z:
Unfortunately the majority of Jews in America are totally secular and know nothing of their own glorious, holy heritage. But among those who do know and keep the Torah, the pro-life percentage is over 90% and even the few Orthodox Jews who vote liberal do so because of a misguided fear that the government might some day forbid a doctor to save the life of a mother (to which the Torah, unlike the Catholic Church, gives priority over the life of the unborn baby).
It is a great and unfathomable tragedy that, decades after the Holocaust, we have still not recovered our numbers -- and that is largely because secular Jews have so few babies. A Jewish woman who could have brought another Jew into the world but instead destroyed her own baby has done something that should inspire horror and grief in all Jewish hearts.

(10)
Anonymous,
February 27, 2011 4:54 PM

Thank you for sharing .

(9)
Andy,
February 27, 2011 4:06 PM

can't get no satisfaction in this area

Seems to me that sometimes God babysits[interferes/thwarts results of man's free will] and other times not. When and and why this happens is beyond human understanding as was told to Moses when he asked and God answered :Exodus 33:18 " I will be merciful to whom I will show mercy"
It appears that the holocaust was as the author writes man acting out of his free will choice and God allowed much suffering of the righteous. At other times in history the innocent were killed with the guilty as per Gods will not mans will The great flood,the first born of Egypt must have included innocent babies if not some righteous adults as well. In our time tsunami's, earthquakes etc consume all in their path. As I understand it life is not limited to this world and in the final big picture God's complete righteousness will be apparent to all but in this world at this time it's not meant to be revealed .

(8)
Sara Karlik,
February 27, 2011 3:54 PM

A calm way of remembering a part of what really es a stiory that envolves the whole world, but being lived by the jewish people in such a terrible way, shows the world how far we can go in our suffering to remain as jews. May be the best lesson of stubborness and also of strengthness.

(7)
Mary,
February 27, 2011 3:41 PM

Excellent Article

You have written an excellent article, yet the babysitter idea of Oma goes even deeper. Millions died because the "force" of evil that was the Nazis was permitted to grow to such monstrous proportions that, over time, fear immobilized people's goodness and courage. That's why those who moved to save them without fearing risk to themselves are heroes. Unfortunately, it is happening again. There are anti-Semitic forces that have grown in the world to such monstrous proportions that people are once again afraid to cross them. We must educate, pray, and keep praying that the "conditions" in the world will never line up again to bring about another holocaust.

(6)
Bob Applebaum,
February 27, 2011 3:12 PM

You Can Convince Yourself Of Anything.

You can convince yourself of anything if you want. Or you can objectively look at the evidence, and try to understand reality, which is more productive. Looking at the evidence, the atrocities committed by the Nazis are much worse than anything the Egyptians did. Yet, most of the early chapters of the Torah are about the miracles performed to release the Jews as slaves. In those early chapters, God promises to never let anything like the Egyptian enslavement, happen again. But it did with the Nazis, in fact, much worse. In fact, there is no evidence to support the Egyptian exodus. Also note that the evidence shows that free will does not exist. So, how could this happen? When people are encouraged to convince themselves of anything, without anchoring those beliefs in evidence, the outcomes can be devasting. Remember, that the motto of the Nazis was "Gott Mit Uns" or "God Is With Us".

(5)
anon,
February 27, 2011 2:54 PM

You cannot say God is not a babysitter and then blame men for letting bad things happen when they have a lot less power

(4)
Ruth,
February 27, 2011 2:39 PM

the Big Question: how could this happen?

There are many explanations, and one is that people who hate need to have a target, and that this is a bonding experience, truly the antithesis of how we would think of bonding, as a love bond, but more as a kind of bondage, bcause to bond in hate is surely just this.
As to this huge question there is a picture in NY at the Metropolitan that galvanized me as a young gitl, showing all those in the camps emergent, circling back, as souls, in the smoke. I think there is a deep truth to this picture, and I hold it close, because for me, NO, even a God who allowed free will, would NOT allow this to happen. So for me there is another circling, another "round" of explanation, and I do believe it's coming.
I do believe, as do many Jews that we were there, and that we have returned, as in teshuva.
I believe in a God of love, and I do believe in free will, and I say the greatest paradox will be to somehow resolve this, the greatest paradox. I believe in LOVE, and I believe it all does deeply resolve in LOVE.
As in evolution there is love within the word, read backwards so I see that we must, through tikkun olam, move forward, as a peoples, toward that goal. And for this it's the OM in shalom itself.

(3)
Gene Z,
February 27, 2011 2:25 PM

Never again?

Over 50,000,000 unborn Americans, made in the image and likeness of God, have been destroyed. Hiltler said that Jews weren't human. Our Supreme Court said that the unborn are not human. What's the difference? Your won't find many Jews defending the unborn.

(2)
Shimmy Wachtel,
February 27, 2011 2:18 PM

It is incorrect to report that there r no survivors of Trblinka! My friends father Max Lewit survived & married & had children & grandchildren! I know there were several others living in California.It was documented,perhaps by Speilberg?

(1)
Sharon,
February 27, 2011 10:19 AM

Not all of us can control our emotions with our head

Depending on our individual emotional makeup not all us can simply decide how to feel based on intellectual decisions. Sometimes a person can feel physically weak after dealing with a trauma whether it be a personal one or one brought on by seriously contemplating profound tragedy.

I just got married and have an important question: Can we eat rice on Passover? My wife grew up eating it, and I did not. Is this just a matter of family tradition?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chametz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why?

Products of kitniyot often appear like chametz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chametz). Also, chametz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited.

In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chametz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chametz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chametz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot.

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil.

Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "cholent" stew!) In the United States and elsewhere, mainstream kosher supervision agencies certify it "Kosher for Passover" -- look for the label.

Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where one family could be eating rice on Passover - when their neighbors will not. So am I going to guess here that you are Ashkenazi and your wife is Sefardi. Am I right?

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (1194-1270), known as Nachmanides, and by the acronym of his name, Ramban. Born in Spain, he was a physician by trade, but was best-known for authoring brilliant commentaries on the Bible, Talmud, and philosophy. In 1263, King James of Spain authorized a disputation (religious debate) between Nachmanides and a Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. Nachmanides reluctantly agreed to take part, only after being assured by the king that he would have full freedom of expression. Nachmanides won the debate, which earned the king's respect and a prize of 300 gold coins. But this incensed the Church: Nachmanides was charged with blasphemy and he was forced to flee Spain. So at age 72, Nachmanides moved to Jerusalem. He was struck by the desolation in the Holy City -- there were so few Jews that he could not even find a minyan to pray. Nachmanides immediately set about rebuilding the Jewish community. The Ramban Synagogue stands today in Jerusalem's Old City, a living testimony to his efforts.

It's easy to be intimidated by mean people. See through their mask. Underneath is an insecure and unhappy person. They are alienated from others because they are alienated from themselves.

Have compassion for them. Not pity, not condemning, not fear, but compassion. Feel for their suffering. Identify with their core humanity. You might be able to influence them for the good. You might not. Either way your compassion frees you from their destructiveness. And if you would like to help them change, compassion gives you a chance to succeed.

It is the nature of a person to be influenced by his fellows and comrades (Rambam, Hil. De'os 6:1).

We can never escape the influence of our environment. Our life-style impacts upon us and, as if by osmosis, penetrates our skin and becomes part of us.

Our environment today is thoroughly computerized. Computer intelligence is no longer a science-fiction fantasy, but an everyday occurrence. Some computers can even carry out complete interviews. The computer asks questions, receives answers, interprets these answers, and uses its newly acquired information to ask new questions.

Still, while computers may be able to think, they cannot feel. The uniqueness of human beings is therefore no longer in their intellect, but in their emotions.

We must be extremely careful not to allow ourselves to become human computers that are devoid of feelings. Our culture is in danger of losing this essential aspect of humanity, remaining only with intellect. Because we communicate so much with unfeeling computers, we are in danger of becoming disconnected from our own feelings and oblivious to the feelings of others.

As we check in at our jobs, and the computer on our desk greets us with, "Good morning, Mr. Smith. Today is Wednesday, and here is the agenda for today," let us remember that this machine may indeed be brilliant, but it cannot laugh or cry. It cannot be happy if we succeed, or sad if we fail.

Today I shall...

try to remain a human being in every way - by keeping in touch with my own feelings and being sensitive to the feelings of others.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...